Bringing the best in live music to central New Jersey

Enjoying that roller coaster stage of our life when your mood says something and your stomach demands something else? Yes, pregnancy is truly a roller coaster that any women experiences with happiness and pain at a time.

Becoming a mother is considered to be the best part of any woman’s life journey. Every moment the trimesters come with are the most unforgettable ones in her life. Counting the beats, the kicks, craving for a particular food, feeling your baby grow inside, and what not binds the joy bundles when two hearts are breathing together.

But when you first heard about your pregnancy, what came first to your mind? Safety and security! Yes, every mother looks for a healthy, safe and sustaining environment for her fetus.

Are you also looking for some tips to create the best environment for your fetus in pregnancy? Note down some of these important tips for a safe, secure and healthy surrounding for your kiddo.

Environment at Home

The home you live in, the environment you spend your most time it holds a vital role as it comes with an impact on the fetus too. A negative environment with arguments and fights is surely not good for pregnant women.

The environment needs to be positive, refreshing and provided with required sunlight that brightens the house. Avoid unwanted fights, arguments, and quarrels in which bad language and unwanted words are used. This can have a very negative impact on your mental health which can indirectly affect your baby’s development and wellness. Instead, live in a positive and happy environment where you receive an ample amount of love and care.

Using fragrance sticks, room fresheners or particular essential oils is also recommended. Give the pregnant women a happy, loving and enthusiastic environment that would be beneficial for her and the infant too.

Your infant hears you!

Sounds unbelievable, but this is true. For an infant, the first voice that reaches his ears is the voice of his mother. The fetus not only listens to the words of the mother but also gets connected to the emotions and the feelings of the mother. Hence, talk to your infant. Sing, read good stories and share good things with your baby.

Elders even suggest reading biographies of legends, mythological books, epics, and even morals that would help in developing the personality and mind of the infant. Along with this, talking to the infant would also help the infant in recognizing your voice after birth.

Music Therapy

Music needs no language as it connects every soul on this earth. Just as you love listening to music, so does your baby. Music is said to be the best stress reliever as well as helps in handling the mood swings during the pregnancy. Music adds love, harmony, and positivity to the atmosphere which is good for the baby inside you. Again, music is an ideal way of appealing the senses of the fetus’s brain and mind.

According to the gynecologist, the fetus reacts to the music or voice after around 25th pregnancy week. Just as it provides the mother with relaxation, it proves to be the best way to get connected with the baby. So, turn on some soft, instrumental or vocal music with positivity too smooth the mind of your fetus.

Stay Calm with Meditation & Massage

Pregnancy is a phase where the hormones are generally imbalanced. Again, the mood swings and irritation in small issues is surely going to make it tough. Hence, mental peace and calmness is something that is essential in such a situation. And the best and safest way to obtain it is through meditation.

Meditation during pregnancy helps in reducing the stress, helps in balancing the hormones, soothes mood swings, etc. It helps in adapting calmness and mental peace. All you need to do is sit with a comfortable position and place your hands on your belly.

Simply inhale and exhale imagining the looks of your baby. Practicing this every morning would help you in relaxation and healthy development of your baby’s body and mind. So, spare some time for calming your mind and hormones. Here are eight effective pregnancy meditation techniques.

In addition to the meditation, prenatal massage also helps pregnant women relax and get physical as well as mental relief. They not only recover the aching muscles but also helps you with depression. Book an appointment for massage therapy for effective prenatal care. Learn more about the effect of prenatal massages during different trimesters at https://www.yinovacenter.com/massage/prenatal-massage/.

Watch what are you eating

Feel like having something spicy, sweet or tasty! Pregnancy is all about eating what your baby craves for. When one day you would want to have something spicy, the next day you mind something sweet. Again, there is no time for such cravings. But for a healthy pregnancy, you also need to keep a watch on the ingredients that you are eating.

What you eat not only provides you with required nutrition, but also helps your baby grow and develop healthily. So, make sure you avoid fast food items, junk food, and other such harmful items in your diet. Add ingredients like dairy products, dry fruits, fruits, and leafy veggies to your diet for a wholesome diet.

Also, make sure the food you eat is not heavy for you to digest or generates heat. So, fulfill your cravings in a healthy way.

Stay Physically Active

Definitely, pregnancy includes a relaxing, healthy diet and enjoying moments; exercise is yet another thing one shouldn’t miss out. Pregnancy comes along with symptoms like constipation, backache, swelling, bloating, etc. that disturb the mother to a great extent.

Getting involved in some light exercises is beneficial in this phase too. Exercising not only helps in reducing the symptoms but also aids in improving the muscle tone, endurance, and good posture. Gynecologists have also recommended swimming, walking, prenatal yoga, dance classes, etc. that would be much beneficial. Along with this, remaining hydrated, using a supporting bra, and even looking after the body would be helpful in healthy exercising.

Final Thoughts

During the pregnancy, every day turns into a surprise for both the to be parents and the infant. And the best way to deal with the nine months is to create a good and healthy environment at your home and if possible, outside too. Along with all these, getting in touch with your doctor for regular checkups, using allergy free or organic products for your home cleaning, etc. can also be included in the list of creating the best environment for both you and your baby.

Through the years, weddings keep on taking a different turn with lots of ideas pouring in from all around the world. Thanks to the internet, planning for a unique wedding is now easier with lots of opportunities for people to share their ideas and creations.

From the traditional church, garden, beach, or wedding hall celebration, we now find lots of different reception venues that were never tried before. These days, we see weddings held in a yacht, industrial building, playground, and even Costco! These changes suggest the differing values that couples put on the wedding, with some opting to go for a simple celebration as they plan to pay for their house first more than anything. Other couples also build a family first before they get married, so they want to be practical with the celebration.

What are the new trends in wedding receptions? These are great to know if you’re planning to get married soon, or if you’ve been asked by your friend to help at his/her wedding. Here are some unique ideas:

1. Holding the reception at home

Through the years, guest lists have significantly decreased because of the increasing cost of weddings. Now, the average number of guests is at 50 to 100. If you have a modest-sized home but a huge backyard, and you have a few guests, go ahead and set up the reception there if you want to save up on costs. You get huge savings with doing the reception at home because you do not have to pay for the venue and all the add-ons that go with it, like the sound system and corkage. You just have to make sure that you get to maximize space since you don’t want guests bumping into each other in your home.

2. Doing your catering

Getting a catering service for your reception will always cost more than doing your catering. It is because you have to add the service and delivery fee that go with the dish prepared. The only drawback is it will take a lot of time and energy to do your own catering, but if you get your family and friends to join you in preparing the dishes, then it wouldn’t be much of a problem. The only investment that you have to make is the food warmers to serve your dishes in. If you can’t find people to borrow from, consider these as investments for your next event, or as a gift to a relative or friend who might need them.

As you can see, these new trends for wedding reception lead towards practicality. More couples are now getting practical with how they want to celebrate their wedding because of the other needs they have to prepare for. Also, it is now costlier to raise a family compared to how it was with baby boomers, and work can be unstable with lots of companies cutting down on costs. Therefore, couples have to be creative and resourceful if they want the celebration to push through successfully.

According to a study, around 5 out of 10 are interested in making a career as an actor. The stage, popularity, glamor, high income, and whatnot is the main reason behind selecting acting as a career. But the scenario is different than you think. Getting into an acting career is not the cup of tea for everyone.

Getting into a character and giving your best on the stage or in front of the camera might seem to be easy, but actually, it is rather complicated. And thus, to prepare you for every kind of emotions, roles and character, the importance of the drama or acting schools have increased rapidly.

Drama School or acting institute is not something that has come into existence in the last few years. Theatre and drama schools existed decades ago too when people interested in performance art and acting were taught how to overcome the theatre hurdles and perform.

Today also, these schools help the acting enthusiasts prepare for the world of acting with the right approach, acting skills, voice modulation, etc. However, getting in one of these acting school is not just an easy walk.

Gone are the days when only passion and dedication towards acting was required for getting admission in the acting schools. Today, the candidates need to work on improving their chances of getting admission constantly especially with the cut-throat competition in the industry.
Are you also among the candidates looking for admission in the best acting institute? Here are some tips that would help you increase your chances.

Are You Sure You Want to Enter the Acting World?

Ask this question to yourself multiple times before applying for any of the acting schools. Acting is a captivating world that looks much attracting and appealing to people from outside. And that is the biggest reason people get fascinated by it. Selecting acting as a career is surely a huge commitment which would empty your bank accounts.

So, before thinking of applying to any of the acting school, work out on whether you would be capable of meeting every need the career demands like monetary issues, hard training, locations, showcase prospects, etc. If the answer to all these is yes, and you have the potential of beating every obstacle, move forward to select a school.

Remember: It’s Not a Single Attempt Opportunity

The first thing to learn while thinking of getting admission is facing the failure of getting selected. It is true that getting selected in the drama school is not a one-time attempt. If you are thinking this in your mind, back off from this career. You might have to go through more than one attempts for getting selected for admission.

For those having ego issues, appearing the drama schools for admission is a waste of time as this would surely not help you get admission. Again, this would also help you in improving your acting skills as every audition would help you learn some or the other thing. So, if you are thinking to get admission in any of the acting institutes, be prepared for rejections.

Apply in Multiple Acting Schools

There are various acting schools globally. And all the schools come with different criteria of selection. They work on different methodologies, styles, personalities, and other concepts which vary from school to school. Again, the schools are also further divided into two groups that are traditional and non-traditional. Hence, make sure you apply to as many schools as possible.

On an average, applying for five different schools or institutes would be a better decision. New Yorkers can simply look for the best New York City acting classes for beginners and get going and similarly look for good acting schools in your area that you have heard of. This would be the start of your basic learning. However, make sure you work on saving a good amount while applying, for making an affordable admission which would also improve the chances of getting selected.

Be Diverse in Your Acting Approach

No matter whether you are an established actor or a newborn actor, practice is something that is quite important to keep on improving your skills. So, before walking into the audition, prepare your craft and practice it well. Improving and growing is definitely required in the field of acting, and this is not something that would come overnight. Learn why diversity is important and be diverse in your approach and challenge yourself with different roles and acting options for more opportunities.

With proper dedication, work on the path of achieving your goals and invest the required energy, time and efforts. For this, follow different training courses and workshops, learn various acting techniques, exercise daily, practice with friends to grab experience, etc.

Experience is a Must

Simply move for an audition, and you would come to know that various actors are already experienced in the field. Some would be freshers in the field while some would be having an experience of more than two years.

Experience is a must while looking for a career in acting. Hence, look for different courses, online courses, programs, etc. that would help you with some experience before applying in any of the institutes. The more you practice the roles and grab experience, the more you would learn about acting and be able to grab small roles that would help you go in the right direction.

Curiosity is Important

Acting is not only about skills. It includes knowledge too. And for obtaining maximum knowledge, it is important to be curious as well. Be curious enough to read important plays or watch them, give time to go through the acting history, learn about the industry, learn some additional talents like musical instruments, different languages, dancing, action, etc. which would be an advantage for your career.

All these would add to your chances of getting selected in the audition one or the other day. So, along with skills, be curious enough to grab utmost knowledge for required growth and development.

An actor is someone who can fit into any given character. So, make sure you avoid getting into a particular zone or set of actions. Getting overexcited and giving out all your energy to the stage on audition is surely not a good idea. Be focused, warm up and listen to the demand of the role given to you. This would help in performing properly. So, are you ready to begin your journey in acting?

Alternative rap, a genre comprising of a combination of contrasting urban musical elements, was long forgotten since the mid 1980′s – the influential period that saw its conception. It was born and partially raised primarily in the East-Coast of the United States, by groups such as the independently-signed Jungle Brothers and Long Island natives De La Soul, widely known for their hit collaboration Feel Good Inc with Gorillaz, whose musical style is also considered, alternative.

That was until urban-experimentalists Outkast (a group consisting of Andre 3000 and Big-Boi) revived its existence with their release of Speakerboxxx/The Love Below in 2003. This album surpassed the creative threshold established by its categorical predecessors and also become the only ever rap-orientated album to sell in excess of 11,000,000 domestic copies; a figure that many believed was to be unobtainable for the eccentric duo, breaking another significant barrier in its wake.

The Introduction Of Kid Cudi

6 Years later and its lyrical-experimenter Kid Cudi’s responsibility to stimulate its rebirth. The Cleveland-born Cudi, real name Scott Mescudi, always had an ambition to create something art-worthy, whether musically or otherwise. He sourced his inspiration from alternative hip-hop groups that were prominent during his later years as a teenager, namely The Pharcyde and A Tribe Called Quest who created a musical style parallel to that of the act as mentioned earlier, Outkast – unorthodox and undefinable.

Cudi was initially been discovered by DJ & music-producer Plain Pat, while still attending University. The song that has gained him the most credibility thus far is his elementary effort “Day & Night” which occupied the #3 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 Single’s chart in the first quarter of 2008.

Cudi’s Critical Reception

Critics assumed that this would be another one-hit-wonder, discouraging his capability to craft another well-received hit. “Was Day N Nite a fluke? …it seems the rapper is perilously close to being a one-hit wonder.” – Chris Schulz. It was Kanye West’s interest amid the release of the track which motivated him to promptly sign Cudi to his G.O.O.D music label.

Cudi possess a unique, inimitable vocal sound coated in subtle artwork, similar to that of Pharrell or Lupe Fiasco, where the ability to create a vivid visual illusion solely from what enters the ear canal, is essential. What keeps his listener’s hearts throbbing and eardrums satisfied though is the sheer unpredictability of his lyrical scope – an element of this forever-mutating genre that has been held captive since Kanye West released his last album “808′s and Heartbreaks” which, ironically, Cudi actually performed on.

Debut Musical Releases

Mescudi’s complementary mixtape “A Kid Named Cudi” gives his newly-acquired fans an honest, auditory taste of the sort of material that will comprise his subsequent, commercial album – “Man on the Moon: The End of Day.” His debut space-crafted masterpiece exceeded all expectations, critically and commercially, earning him two enviable Grammy nominations, which is wholly unprecedented for a non-conformist, alternative rap artist in his position.

Cudi takes us on an internal tour, isolated into five gut-wrenching chapters, exposing his depressed mental state, which he delivers through a fearless monotone intonation that immerses listeners in his emotional struggle; the tragic loss of his father to cancer at the tender age of 11 contributed considerably to this approach. Music is more of an outlet or a coping mechanism rather than a lucrative-skill for the Cleveland-native.

From his work, it’s evident that Cudi entered the industry with a level of undeniable optimism, but in this day and age, that’s a near futile characteristic to be affiliated with. This does illustrate though, how he doesn’t feel musically restricted in terms of what is acceptable in the marketplace and that hopefully, other artists will follow suit, a trait that was undoubtedly passed down by Kanye West himself.

Kid Cudi has also collaborated with French DJ David Guetta on the electro-pop track “Memories” which has received heavy airplay in Europe since it was released in early February.

Future Releases

Complex, a fashion magazine known for its inclusion of distinctive elements of street and mainstream-culture have compiled a list of what they believe are the 25 most anticipated albums of this year, placing Mescudi’s sophomore musical-novel “Cudder” (The titled has been revised since this list was published) ahead of such urban heavyweights as Common and T.I. This is utterly remarkable considering that he’s only spent the last two years as an active musician.

Two new Kid Cudi records have since leaked onto the internet, which are entitled “REVOFEV” and “Erase Me,” the latter featuring label-manager Kanye West. Both tracks have managed to generate a lot of interest across the internet, especially “Erase Me” which features a much more complex, rock-inspired beat. Now avid listeners can properly prepare themselves for the release of his sophomore LP, which is now entitled “Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager.”

East Coast-based CircleDown has four tracks to bring their A-game in their “Mobius” album, And, while the first two tracks cater to the speed metal crowd, and will be familiar to Linkin Park and even a bit of Sum 41 fans, CircleDown is only two out of four in delivering killer tracks.

Radio-Friendly Thrash Metal Song

It is not until track three, “Crash,” that this writer found a new obsession. Where on Earth did this bizarre-sounding blurb of an oriental tweak come from? Just as the first two songs – while excellent in arrangement and strong thrash metal performances – channel some power punches, “Crash” seals the deal. It is a fury of buildup and conflicting sounds. Really, it is that good. It is memorable and one of the most radio-friendly thrash metal songs this writer has encountered in quite some time (think Faith No More, that is how long).

Listeners will also enjoy track four, “ReConstitute.” Never a dull moment in this one either. It is missing the synth sound, but the roar and toe-curling percussion swoop right in there. This song also brings it.

CircleDown is comprised of Drew “Diode” Madore (vocals, DJ, synth), Kevin “Cansh” Cansian (bass), Eric “Reebus” Wisely (drums) and Dean Romanelli (guitars). At first, it is easy to lump this group into every other speed metal rock/rap outfit. But, again, the “Crash” song is so memorable it is insane to think that there are not more songs out there like this for a band like CircleDown.

Tightly-Produced Songs

What is also evident about these guys is they get the tightly-produced song. There are no gaps, no down moments to songs. The bridges engage, and true, Madore’s vocals have little range, the band and arrangements certainly make up for the normality. According to its official biography, CircleDown has been lauded for earning two Auddy™ Awards, given to songs that score high on a program that tests clear mathematical hit potential. Or “The underlying musical patterns of this song are similar to songs that have been hitting for a long time.” Meaning, they write songs that in theory, can become viral.

Fans of Faith No More, System of a Down, DownSlave, Incubus, playing video games, Linkin Park, maybe 311 and maybe some European-flavored dance tracks should give these guys a listen. It is not that those first two songs disappoint, it is they seem to be swept away into the “just okay” song pile. Again, listeners will enjoy tracks three and four.

Eight of us went to Woodstock from Rochester, NY. Some of us were high school teachers, and some were professionals working for a major company headquartered in Rochester. No, we weren’t hippies; no, we weren’t druggies. We merely went for the music, and we were right. We will never forget listening to our favorites and discovering new favorites among the twenty-two musical acts that performed, including the legendary Jimi Hendrix. We heard them all.

Why did we go? Our math teacher friend brought in an ad from The New York Times listing all the bands that were performing, and he said we couldn’t miss it. We ordered our tickets. We secured a large tent to sleep in, bought steaks and beer for a long weekend, and decided we would arrive on Wednesday night before the crowds got there. Arriving at the concert site, a large pasture at the end of a long dirt road, we saw the stage being erected, pitched our tent behind it, and unfurled our sleeping bags.

The Concert Begins

The next day we secured a spot high on the slope in front of the stage and waited for the music to start. But along with the music, some of us heard our names being called. Who would know us? We were answered by a few of our former students rushing over to greet us.

Later that day over the microphones on stage, we heard amazing facts: more and more people were arriving, and even babies were being born. We were also being warned from the mics not to take the blue acid, not that we would anyway. Finally, we heard that the New York State Thruway was closed.

Difficult Times

Part of my memories include the disgusting port-o-potties and trying to avoid them except when absolutely necessary. When the rains came, the ensuing mud was difficult to navigate. To alleviate dirty appearances or maybe just for fun, some of us went skinny dipping in Filippini Pond. As days went by and word of the concert got out, the crowds grew. Fences were knocked over; kids were spaced out. We offered food to those who didn’t seem to have any. We remember feeding one young girl after she came out of a three-day drug-induced stupor.

Adventures Beckon

One of the fun and daring journeys involved going into what we called the enchanted forest. There we saw thickly set trees full of smokey haze, and we smelled the sweet aroma of burning marijuana. Buying a souvenir pipe to document our journey, we assured our friends and family that the pipe never was used.

Lingering Effect of Concert

We drove away on Sunday afternoon after making memories to last a lifetime. Little did we know that one of our greatest claims to fame would be to tell people we went to Woodstock.

Other perks came from the experience. After having two children, we moved to several different locations, including abroad, and then returned to Rochester. Our son was in junior high. When he brought new friends home and introduced us, he always told them we went to Woodstock. I guess that made us okay. When this happened we always insisted we did not try any drugs; we were just there to enjoy the music.

After our daughter grew up, married, and bought a home in Woodstock, Georgia, what was the one thing she wanted as a housewarming gift? Our original, now framed, Woodstock poster with its iconic bird and hand on a guitar fret with the words Peace and Music.

Friends or acquaintances who discover we were at the original Woodstock Festival are always amazed, and they want to hear about the whole experience. Thinking, as many do, that we were enjoying youthful drug experiments while we were there, I emphasize the reason we went. I tell them we did not use any drugs and that a lot of people there did not, contrary to some stories and photos. We were there for one reason—the music.

House concerts are one of the best ways for small acts to gain exposure to their music. Here is a brief tour guide for musicians by way of alternative venue performances. These concerts can be done with proper planning to bring in extra revenue for bands. Musicians can use the money earned from performing at house concerts to buy more equipment, studio time or save for a bigger investment.

A House Concert Tour Benefits Musicians

Many artists want to perform at large music venues but face difficulty in obtaining gigs. An independent musician may not become the next Michael Jackson or Bon Jovi overnight. House concerts provide a more community-oriented experience where true fans appreciate the music even more. Crowds are usually small, which can help to take some of the pressure off of nervous musicians.

Another great aspect of house parties is that bands can plan them without the help of an agent or booking manager. These alternative venues also allow musicians to take charge of their work for performance bookings. Music bands can plan a 2-city or 20-city tour on the house concerts circuit.

Music Bands are Supported by Alternative Concert Venues

Musicians with extra cash can rent small homes or apartments for one night to use as a venue. Volunteer homeowners who enjoy live music usually hold house Concerts. The house concert scene has a lot of supporters who accept Folk music and solo acts. Musicians who perform in other genres including hip-hop and rock will have to find venues owners who listen to this type of music.

In most cases, music bands will not have to pay homeowners to rent out their house. They may volunteer space to support the arts. Musicians who perform house concerts usually make some money in the process. There is no guarantee that these venues will become a source of riches. House concerts provide a way for music bands to sustain their current lifestyle with income from entrance fees.

Admission and Marketing is Important for a House Concert Tour

Venue owners usually set admission prices for concerts they host. Free admission can be another way for musicians to make money by requesting donations after a performance. Sales from merchandise like CDs and T-Shirts will also bring in some extra cash for a music band.

Advertising should be done well in advance for at least one month before each house concert. Musicians will want to keep their event on the radar by constantly reminding fans about a concert. Social networking websites are a good way to generate buzz about any upcoming house concert dates.

Rock music is by far the genre of music that has had the most massive effect on music, ether it is the industry itself or other genres of music in general. Rock music owes its roots to the decade where the music industry first started picking up momentum, the 1950s. (Coincidence?) The music was targeted for being offensive for its lyrical content and African American roots. Usually, the latter was the cause of the former. We can trace Rock ‘n’ Roll back to the 1920s, this ancestor of rock music is Jazz. Jazz started in the same light as Rock. Jazz was seen as obscene for the liberal behavior that it encouraged and the African American roots it had, is this just some odd coincidence?

It seems that the common denominator in the music of both these genre’s scorn is the African Americans who first started playing it. This is only the beginning of the undeserved hatred that Rock music has so infamously acquired. While racism was a factor in the initial resentment to Rock ‘n’ Roll, another was the lyrical content that eventually became one of the mottos of Rock ‘n’ Roll and its sub-genres, Sex, Drugs, and Rock ‘n’ Roll. Rock sang about sex and drugs. The motto is a central point in the image of rock stars today, but where did it come from? Rock ‘n’ Roll is Blues slang for sex, and it is easy to find quite a large number of Blues songs with a sexual agenda in them. The fascinations of Rock music evolved from Blues. It does not surprise me that here in America where the self-hatred of our bodies makes us insecure about our sexual drive, which we repress to avoid being socially unacceptable, that such a thing was taken ill. While there may be a separation of church and state in our country, it doesn’t stop people from pretending there is or asserting their moral values as truth. Why is Rock music bad because it doesn’t suit your lifestyle?

On to drugs, the word in the motto does not have to do as much with singing about drugs as it does the hard party lifestyle of a rock star, the motto as a whole address. Rock music was about having a good time; it was precisely the mellowing out the country needed in the so-called innocence and apple pie age of the 1950s. Apart from what some people may tell you, Rock music has had some definite positive effects. A large majority of our pop culture is based on off Rock Music, and the industry is pushed along. The guitar has become a symbol of not only Rock ‘n’ Roll, but of American teenagers in general, it is the most popular instrument.

Rock music is the most popular genre; it is easy to find even among today’s New Country singers a hint of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s vast influences. We are a nation who loves to rock; we are a world who loves to rock. Sometimes we just need some loud guitar to tell us to have a good time.

The waterfront section of Jersey City, New Jersey holds gorgeous views of the New York skyline, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Also, there are many fantastic restaurants in this area of Jersey City no matter what kind of cuisine you are in the mood for. Here is a guide highlighting some of the best restaurants along the waterfront of Jersey City.

In addition to the beautiful views of the city skyline and the Hudson River, Liberty House Restaurant provides superb service and fine food. The restaurants have seating areas indoors as well as outdoors on their lovely terrace, and the overall ambiance is quite nice. The seafood options are particularly good here, with options ranging from oysters to mussels to fish, with even delicious sushi options made fresh at their sushi bar. If you aren’t a seafood fan, don’t worry, there are several land options as well, including delicious pork chops, pasta, and steak entree selections.

Another great waterfront restaurant in Jersey City is Fire and Oak. This restaurant is located at the Westin Hotel, and has a very upscale atmosphere with excellent food, but comes at affordable prices. The sushi here is fantastic, as well as the seafood and meat dishes. They also have special deals going on several days out of the week, including Dollar Oysters on Mondays, and half-priced sushi on Tuesdays. Check out this fantastic restaurant!

For a slightly different food option, try Babo Teahouse. There you can grab some tasty bubble iced tea and some delicious gelato. The food is not that spectacular, but it is a great place to grab some sweet dessert after your dinner.

As you can see, there are many different types of restaurants located in the lovely waterfront section of Jersey City, New Jersey. Whichever one you choose, you won’t go wrong!

Many successful songs are derived from simple, catchy chord sequences. However, there are a wealth of interesting chords and extensions that can make a song stand out more than the rest, by avoiding musical clichés and not merely ‘recycling’ the same three chords again and again.

A few of these are easy to write with, and they can even be added to a song after it is written without having to change the whole structure.

The Suspended Chord (sus)

Suspended chords are common in all music, and are created by moving the third up a semitone, into a fourth. In a C Major chord, this means the notes would be C, F, and G instead of C, E, and G; a simple substitution.

The effect a suspended chord has is to suggest that something is unresolved, meaning you can then resolve it by returning to the third, or even by moving to a different key. These chords are more successful at the beginning or end of a song if placed where the listener is expecting a simple major chord. An example of this would be in The Who’s Pinball Wizard, where the verses feature suspended chords that are resolved by returning to the third in every other bar. Sometimes a succession of different suspended chords can create a pleasant effect, but don’t try and make an entire song out of them!

The Minor Seventh Chord (m7)

Many funk and disco songs are full of minor sevenths, but they can be used to great effect in an ordinary rock or pop song. If you have a minor chord or a sequence of minor chords, try adding the seventh note in a chord’s scale onto the end of it. For example, E Minor contains the notes E, G, and B, while E Minor Seventh contains E, G, B, and D.

The extra note has a thickening effect that can be valuable in certain contexts, though don’t overdo it. It’s best to try it out with an existing song, and listen to what the seventh is doing to your harmony. It can make a progression of chords seem groovier but sacrifices the sad, dark qualities of the original minor chord. The chorus from The Bee Gees’ Night Fever is built entirely from minor seventh chords.

The Major Seventh Chord (M7)

This chord is beautiful and surprisingly underused in favorite music. As with the minor seventh, an extra note is added, but this time it is the unflattened seventh note in the scale (the one just before the tonic itself), and it is more commonly added to a major chord. In C Major, this would make a chord with the notes C, E, G, and B.

An ordinary C7 chord would contain Bb, but the B natural adds a dreamy quality to the sound instead. As with the minor sevenths, major sevenths work well in groups so that you could make an entire chord sequence out of them for a thick, gorgeous sounds, such as in the main vamp to Elton John’s Bennie and the Jets. Experiment with them and see for yourself where they fit and where they don’t. A hard rock song rarely has a place for the major seventh chord!

The Diminished/Augmented Chord (dim/aug)

These are two separate chords, but they have a similar effect on harmony. The diminished chord replaces the usual third and fifth with their flattened equivalents (so F, A, C becomes F, Ab, Cb/B) while the augmented chord sharpens only the fifth (so F, A, C becomes F, A, C#). If you’re not used to these chords, they can seem ugly, and they are on their own.

Bear in mind that diminished and augmented chords work best as part of a sequence, where the melody “passes through” them to arrive somewhere else. The diminished chord has a sinister effect but adds a lot of colors when used to move into a new key. The augmented chord has a similar impact on the suspended chord, raising the tension before everything is resolved. Both have a significant role in David Bowie’s Life on Mars, where they are used to ascend or descend between other chords in the song’s chorus.

The Ninth, Eleventh and Thirteenth Chords (9, 11, 13)

Finally, we have three more extension chords that go beyond the seventh. Common in jazz, these chords are intended to create dense, intricate harmonies. They are formed merely by adding the note of the scale relevant to each number, so in the key of C, a C Ninth chord would include C, E, G, Bb and D (the seventh is optional but is usually retained). The eleventh adds another note to make C, E, G, Bb, D and F (again, the previous extensions are optional but help establish the direction the harmony is going in). The biggest of them all, the thirteenth of C would consist of C, E, G, Bb, D, F, A!

These chords get increasingly harder to use as they go up in number, but when applied expertly they can make even the dullest of songs seem exciting and varied. A particular example of these extended chords in action would be the introduction to Dave Brubeck’s Strange Meadow Lark, which uses all three in conjunction with various other complex chords. They do not have to be restrained to jazz alone though.

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Six Great Reasons to Join Us

1. The music is terrific!

2. We’re only 40 minutes from Center City Philadelphia, 15 minutes from Princeton and 25 minutes from New Hope.

3. Complimentary beverages and snacks at every show.

4. We have plenty of parking. Yes, it’s okay to park on the grass.

5. Advance ticket buyers and season subscribers receive preferential seating in the first 6 rows on a first-come basis until show time.

6. Kids (7 to 14 years old) $5. Six years old and under free, unless otherwise noted.